RESEARCH ARTICLE


Comparison of Antiviral Activity of Recombinant and Natural Interferons Against Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus



Helen Karlberg1, 2, Gunnel Lindegren1, Ali Mirazimi*, 1, 2
1 KCB/Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, SE-172 82 Solna, Sweden
2 Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden


© Karlberg et al.; Licensee Bentham Open.

open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.

* Address correspondence to this author at the Center for Microbiological Preparedness, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, 172 82 Solna, Sweden; Tel: +46 (8) 4572573; Fax: +46 (8) 3079 57; E-mail: Ali.Mirazimi@smi.ki.se


Abstract

As a first line of defence against a virus infection, mammalian cells elicit an innate immune response, characterized by secretion of type I interferons (IFN) and up-regulation of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs). We have previously included Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) in the list of type I IFN-sensitive viruses. In this in vitro study, we have compared the antiviral activity of two recombinant IFN-alpha preparations (Roferon A and Intron A) with a natural IFN-alpha produced in human leukocytes (Multiferon). Our results clearly demonstrate that these commercially available IFNs have significant antiviral activities against CCHFV. However, we could show that Multiferon inhibits viral replication more efficiently than the two recombinant IFN alpha preparations.

Keywords: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, interferon, antiviral, CCHF, emerging disease..